Area fogger

ABSTRACT

The present invention is an area fogger that uses the exhaust gases and the exhaust heat produced by a 2- or 4-stroke internal combustion engine to convert a liquid chemical into a fog. More particularly, the fogger includes a unique heat distributor that is at least partially placed in the exhaust manifold, e.g., a muffler, and which distributes heat from the exhaust to the liquid chemical to form a fog. The heat distributor contains particulate material that conducts and distributes the heat to the liquid, thereby improving fog formation and effectiveness over existing systems.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to area foggers. More particularly, thearea fogger is a kit that is usable with a 2- or 4-stroke engine andproduces a particulate insecticide fog in an outdoor setting.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various fog-producing devices utilizing the exhaust from internalcombustion engines are known.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,835,533, issued to Baker on May 20, 1958, teaches anatomizing distributor mounted on an exhaust. The device includes anozzle placed in the exhaust pipe that atomizes an insecticide liquid.U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,182, issued to Cragg et al. on Aug. 25, 1959,teaches an engine operated insecticide sprayer.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,017,121, issued to Carlson on Jan. 16, 1962, teaches amaterial applying attachment for power mowers. The material is fed intothe exhaust using an inserted tube. U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,574, issued toBrown, Jr. on Jul. 14, 1964, teaches a spraying and mowing apparatus.The sprayed fluid appears to be fed directly through a tube from a tank.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,221, issued to McCain on Jul. 25, 1967, teaches alawn mower including a liquid spraying attachment containing aninsecticide, herbicide or fertilizer, the attachment dispensing anddistributing the liquid in the area of the rotating blades. A tankcontaining the liquid is mounted on the handle of the mower. U.S. Pat.No. 3,338,524, issued to Rhein et al. on Aug. 29, 1967, teaches alawnmower with a handle-mounted, liquid-containing tank, which feeds theliquid through a tube to the muffler to be distributed to thesurroundings.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,481, issued to Enblom, also teaches a foggerattached to a lawnmower that includes a handle-mounted,insecticide-holding tank and which dispenses the insecticide in themuffler. The fogger includes an air tube that brings pressurizedair/exhaust from the muffler to the tank to provide the necessarypressure in the tank to produce a fog that leaves the muffler. U.S. Pat.No. 3,722,820, issued to Klint, Jr. on Mar. 27, 1973, U.S. Pat. No.4,269,353 issued to Ivandick et al. on May 26, 1981, U.S. Pat. No.5,195,308 issued to Grote et al. on Mar. 23, 1993, U.S. Pat. No.5,222,666 issued to Gnutel on Jun. 29, 1993, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,497,088issued to Holley on Dec. 24, 2002, respectively, and UK Patent No.2238698 A, all teach similar lawnmower-attached liquid spray and fogdistributing devices having various arrangements that permit the liquidto mix with the engine exhaust.

However, none teach the use of a heat-distributor that contains a heatdistributing particulate material for ensuring rapid conversion of aliquid chemical into microscopic droplets which mix with exhaust to formfog.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or incombination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thusan area fogger solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The area fogger of the present invention is attached to an exhaustmuffler of a 2-stroke or 4-stroke internal combustion engine, e.g., alawnmower, and produces a fog that permeates an area from a liquidchemical, e.g., a pesticide solution, that is supplied to it.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide anarea fogger that is attachable to the exhaust manifold of an internalcombustion engine.

It is another object of the invention to provide an area fogger foratomizing and dispensing a liquid pesticide over a wide area.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a kit forretrofitting an internal combustion engine with an area fogger fordispensing a liquid pesticide.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an area fogger inwhich the heat from the exhaust manifold of an internal combustionengine is used to convert the liquid chemical into a fog that isdispersed by the exhaust into the surrounding area.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements andarrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive,dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of an area fogger accordingto the present invention mounted on a lawnmower.

FIG. 2A shows an end view of a muffler modified to receive an areafogger according to the present invention.

FIG. 2B shows a view of a muffler with a mounting bracket for attachingan area fogger according to the present invention attached thereto.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the fogger and mounting bracket.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 4C show an elevation view, a section view, and an endview, respectively of the heat distributor of an area fogger accordingto the present invention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is an area fogger that uses the exhaust gases andthe exhaust heat produced by a 2- or 4-stroke internal combustion engineto convert a liquid chemical into a fog. More particularly, the foggerincludes a unique heat distributor that is at least partially placed inthe exhaust system, e.g., a muffler housing, and which distributes heatfrom the exhaust to the liquid chemical to form a fog. The heatdistributor contains particulate material that conducts and distributesthe heat to the liquid, thereby improving fog formation andeffectiveness over existing systems.

FIG. 1 shows a lawnmower 10 provided with an area fogger of the presentinvention. The fogger includes a liquid chemical supply, in this case, abag 20 containing pesticide, which is fastened to the handle of thelawnmower 24. The bag 20 has a filling spout 22. Liquid chemical flowsfrom the bag 20 through a valve 26 and tubular supply line 30 to theheat distributor 70, and, ultimately, mixes with the exhaust gases toform a fog that exits through the muffler.

The heat distributor 70 is attached to the muffler with a mountingbracket 50.

FIGS. 2A and 2B show a muffler modified to include the mounting bracket50. FIG. 2A shows mounting bracket mounting holes 62 and heatdistributor hole 64 defined in a muffler housing 60. These holes can beformed, e.g., by drilling into existing mufflers or exhaust housings.FIG. 2B shows the mounting bracket 50 fastened to the muffler housing 60using fasteners 54, e.g., bolts or screws. A setscrew 52 fixes the heatdistributor in place during use. The fog produced by the area foggerexits the muffler through exhaust opening 66.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the fogger 100 with its mountingbracket 50. As previously described, liquid chemical, e.g., insecticidesolution, from bag 20 passes through valve 26, through line 30 to theinlet connection 72 of the heat distributor. The inlet connection 72 isattached to a coupler 78 that, in turn is attached to the main body 90of the heat distributor.

When the fogger is used, the main body 90 of the heat distributor, inthis case a cylindrical tube, is at least partially inserted into themuffler through the opening 56 of the mount 50. Setscrew 52 is tightenedto fix the main body of the heat distributor 90 in place.

FIG. 3 also shows screws 54 used to fasten the mounting plate 68 to themuffler using holes 58.

Details of the heat distributor 70 are shown in FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C.FIG. 4A is an elevation view of the heat distributor 70 showing inletconnector 72. A metering orifice 74 is provided at the inlet opening,that is sized to permit the optimum liquid flow rate during use. Clearlythe metering orifice dimensions depend upon various factors, such as thetype of liquid chemical and the flow rate of exhaust gases during use.

A preferred liquid chemical is an insecticide solution containing anactive ingredient, such as a pyrethrin, malathion, resmethrin orpermethrin, in a carrier, such as kerosene or other hydrocarbon liquid.An example of a prepared commercially available fogger insecticideproduct is F100 fogger insecticide made by Burgess.

FIG. 4B shows a sectional view of the heat distributor 70. Liquidchemical enters the heat distributor at the metering orifice 74 andflows through the inlet connector 72. The inlet connector 72 is attachedto coupler 78 by threaded fitting 82.

The liquid chemical then flows into liquid distributor tube 84 and exitsthis tube 84 through holes 76. Liquid distributor tube 84 is surroundedby heat distributing particulate material 80. An example of a suitableheat distributing particulate material is called “ceramic proppant”,typically used in the oil industry in well drilling activities. Theceramic proppant is a porous ceramic particulate material that conductsheat from the exhaust gases in the muffler to the liquid chemical thatflows through the heat distributor.

The liquid passing through the particulate bed 80 is converted into athick fog, then passes through a mesh screen 86 and past a restriction,e.g., dam 92 and exits the heat distributor in the outlet 94 (shown indetail in FIG. 4C) where it is dispersed by the exhaust gas in themuffler that flows from the engine to the surrounding area.

The preferred size of liquid droplets in the fog is less than 20microns.

During use of the area fogger, the engine is initially “warmed up” tobring the heat distributor 70 to operating temperature. In somesituations, the heat distributor can become sufficiently hot to glowwith a reddish color. This intense concentration of heat, along with theuse of the heat distributing particulate material, ensures the rapidconversion of the liquid chemical into microscopic fog droplets.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. An area fogger for use with an internal combustion engine equippedwith an exhaust housing, comprising: a liquid fogger chemical supplycontainer adapted for containing a liquid chemical; a heat distributordefining a flow passage for permitting flow of the liquid chemicalthrough the distributor and having a particulate heat distributingmaterial surrounding the flow passage for distributing heat from exhaustgases during operation of the engine, the heat distributor having aninlet and an outlet; and, a conduit connecting the supply container withthe heat distributor; wherein the heat distributor is adapted for beingat least partially inserted in the exhaust housing, the heat distributoroutlet discharging into the exhaust housing, the liquid chemical beingatomized in and exiting the heat distributor and mixing with the exhaustgases, thereby forming a fog.
 2. The area fogger according to claim 1,in which the particulate material is ceramic.
 3. The area foggeraccording to claim 1 wherein the particulate material comprises ceramicproppant.
 4. An area fogger kit for attachment to an exhaust housing ofan internal combustion engine, comprising: a liquid fogger chemicalsupply container adapted for containing a liquid chemical; a heatdistributor defining a flow passage for permitting the flow of theliquid chemical, the heat distributor having an inlet and an outlet; aconduit connecting the supply container with the heat distributor; and amounting bracket adapted for attaching the heat distributor to theexhaust housing, wherein the mounting bracket includes a support passagefor at least partially inserting the heat distributor in the exhausthousing during use, said heat distributor containing a particulate heatdistributing material surrounding the flow passage for distributing heatfrom exhaust gases generated during use of the engine to the liquidchemical, the liquid chemical exiting the heat distributor and mixingwith the exhaust gases, thereby forming a fog.